archaeology

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. The systematic study of past human life and culture by the recovery and examination of remaining material evidence, such as graves, buildings, tools, and pottery.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. The study of the past through material remains. Often focused upon the life and culture of ancient peoples, but also applied to the more recent past. In American usage, one of the four sub-disciplines of anthropology.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition